Men, women and children are being deceived with promises of a better life and work opportunities, but are ultimately being trafficked and exploited in cities across India.

Research has shown that the labour practices and working conditions on the tea plantations of Assam are fuelling unique forms of vulnerability to human trafficking.

People are easily lured from the tea plantations, and trafficked to cities across India. This is an organised crime.

THE FACTS

Globally people drink over 3 billion cups of tea every day.

— Forum for the Future (2014)

Tea is big business in India with approximately 10 million people dependent on the tea industry for their livelihood.

— ActionAid (2005)

Traffickers entice people to migrate to the cities or groom parents to send their children to the cities on the promise of a new and better life. There is usually a payment made to a family giving up a child, which can be as little as Rs 2,000 (AUD 42.8)